Ordnance.



n. 1. cAnTwRlGHTV.

ORDNANCE. -APPLlcATIoN FILED. FEB. 2a. |901.

Patentd May 4, 1`9I5.

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D. J'. GARTWRIGHT.

onnNA'NcE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23.11901.

latented May 4, 1915.

3 sains-skin 2.

D. l. CARTWRIGHT.

ORDNANCE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1907.

mma May 4, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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.at the top of the roll before firing.

UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

' AVID J. CARTWRIGHT, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ORDNANCE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Application led February 23, 1907. Serial N o. 358,813.

le angle of elevation of a mounted gun with reference to the plane of the supporting .platform of the gun carriage for any given range is usually determined on the basis that the platform isv in a fixed position or at a given angle. Therefore if the platform shifts from this given angle, it will derange the elevation of the gun and'it will then be necessary to either change the angle of the gun with relation to the platform or wait until` the platform is returned to its given an le before firing the gun. Heretofore, so ga as known to me, there has been no mecha; .ism by which' the given elevation of the gun can be maintained while this platform shifts.

When vessels are in action, especially when there isa heavy sea, the rolling and pitching of the vessel constantly changes the angle of the gun platform relative to a hori zontal plane so that it is impossible by hand operated mechanism to elevate or depress the gun quickly enough to be practicable. Therefore in practice the gunner is often obliged to wait a long time until the ship temporarily assumes a stationary position My invention relates especially to mechanism for controlling the elevation or training of a gun, and while it is particularly designed for application to. a gun on ship board, it is not limited to such use.

One object of my invention is the production of a device which when applied to a gun and its mount will maintain the gun at a' given angle of elevation relative to a horizontal plane independent of the movement of the platform upon which it may be placed; a second object is the production of a means of quickly changing the angle of elevation or depression and maintaining the gun at said new angle.

My invention also has for its object cer- 'tain means of controlling a movable support for a. self leveling member, and certaln A mechanism for tric circuit. y

My invention also has for its object to relieve the gun pointer of the manual labor of operating the directing reclianism,there by enabling him to keep his body steady, also to keep his eye steady on the line of sight and avoids frequent changing of gun pointers.

There is also a saving of time in loading. When the ship is rolling heavily during the loading of the gun,.in the operation of the gun as the gun is'ordinarily constructed, much time is lost by the moving of the gun relative to the deck. Vith my device attached to a gun, when the switch which connects the electric circuit through the automatic part is opened, the gun partakes of all the movements of. the ship, and when the gun is loaded and the circuit through the automatic part is closed by means of the switch, the elevating gear will thereby be actuated to immediately move the gun to its proper elevation independent of the direction of the roll.

Another object of the invention is to automatically operate the directing mechanism of a gun carriage to [move the gun and its associated parts in opposite direction to the roll of the ship.

My invention will now be fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

' In the drawings,-`Figure 1 is a side view of the left side of a gun and its mount having attached thereto the motive power and operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the operating mechanism and lelectromagnets, detached from the gun. Fig. 3 is a side view in elevation of the operating mechanism detached from the gun, the magnets being removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail side view of the adjustable contact plate with contacts and insulating plate which may be placed on either side of the gun. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig. 4, the pivoted rod being broken olf. Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the electrical circuits.

Referring to the., drawings,-The gun 1 is mounted in the usual manner in the sleeve 2 which is supported by trunnions 13 in the top carriage 5 on pedestal mount 6. The yoke 3 and recoil cylinder 12 are all of well opening and closing an elec-1 known form.. The toothed elevating are 4 secured to the gun sleeve 2 is operated through a pinion and worm. wheel by the elevating worm screw 9. mounted on shaft 8 which has its bearings in the top carriage 5'. A hand wheel 7 is mounted on a shaft 7 'l 'having a pinion 72 engaging with a bevel gear 73 on shaft .8 by which the elevating screw can be operated to elevate or depress the gun. 10 is a training wheel. All of the above elements are well known and repreysent one form of construction to which. my'

invention may be applied.'

Mounted on the elevating screw shaft 8 is' a bevel gear 14 which meshes with bevel gear 15 mounted on the rotating shaft- 16. The shaft 16 is connected with operating mechanism which will be hereinafter described by which the shaft 16 is rotated either to the right or vleft as occasion requires, thereby turning the elevating screw 9 to either elevate or depress the breech of thegun if the gun platformis stationary, or to maintain thc gun at a fixed elevation if the gun .platform is moving. When the wheel 7 isturned by hand, the gear 1-1 is also turned, and the gun is elevated or depressed, and when the gear 1l is "operated by the motor, the gun is elevated ordcpressed.

Gears 17 and ,20, which I term ,respectively the breech 'depressing gear wheel and the'breech'elevating gear wheel, are mounted loosely on shaft 16 and are driven in `opposite directions to each other by any well known means. The have shown for'that purpose and the best now known to me is'the following: a main driving gear 21 driven by an electric motor 26 .mesheswith the gear wheel 20. Grearl wheel 21 also meshes with gear wheel 17. On shaft 16 is also fixed` a gear wheel 15 which meshes with gear wheel 14.

There are other well known Ways by A which the shaft 16 may be driven in opposite directions, the particular means by which it is done not being essential, whether by gearing, belting or otherwise. Splined on the shaft 16 between the two gears 17 and 20 is a cone clutch 37, 38 'which can slide lengthwise on the shaft. The sliding movement lof the cone' is given by a shipper bar 22.

When the shipper bar 22 is moved to the right, it will cause' the clutch 37 to engage with the gear 17 and rotate'the shaft 16 in a direction to depress the breech of the gun. When the shipper bar 22v is moved to the left it will cause the clutch 38 to engage with gear 20 and rotate the shaft 16 in a direction to elevate the breech of the gun. In the drawings, both clutches are shown disengaged. The shipper bar 22 is actuated by either the eleetromagnet 24 or 25 according to whichever of the two magnets is energized. When the armature is equi-dismechanism which I` tantbetween the magnets, the friction'cone is disengaged from the clutches. The shipper may alsov be through connecting rod 11.

In Fig. 1 hand operated means are shown by. lever 23, also lever 18n on rheostat 18 and handle 19a on rheostat 19. The hand lever` A23 is for the purpose of changing the direction of motion by throwing the clutch 37, 38, into vengagement with gear wheels 17 and 20 through the connecting rod 11, see Fig. 2.

,moved by hand lever 23 In the construction of the clutch, a leather? and metal surface are brought together. By

varying vthe pressure on the hand lever 23 one can cause more or less slip at the vclutehy which will change the speed of the operating mechanism. If any vgreater change is 'l 4 required thefchange of speed mayfbe accomplished by operating the lever 18a on` the rheostat 18 or handle 19 on rheostat 19 to produce a change of speed' in the motor itself.

The means whereby the change of direction and also change in speed is effected isshown' in Fig. 2 through the connecting rodI 11 and shipper bar 22 acting upon lthe friction clutch 38, 37. Then the device is used automatically a slight variation in speedmay be produced by operating the hand lever 23 to reduce the friction .caused by the magnets 24, 25, which throws the lever 22 into engagement with one or the other of the friction cone wheels, causing a slip between the clutched surfaces.

18 is the ordinary type of rheostatconnected in series with the armature of an electric motor inthe usual manner. The rheostat 19 is of the usual type connected in series with the lields of the electric motor, and may be operated by hand to produce the same result as the rheostat 18, that is, to change the speed of the motor. The l direction as well as to vary the speedvbyf The purpose of the` varying the pressure. rheostat 19 in., addition to the rheostat-18 is to give the close speed regulation necessary to keep on the target. RheostatlS is for the coarse regulation and rheostat 19 is for the close regulation. f

Secured to the rotatable member or face of the trunnion 13 is an extension 27 Pivoted on the journal 39 projecting from the trunnion extension is an adjustable member 28 which Il term the adjustable contactplate carrying the contact points 18 and 53. This plate will move with the trunnion or its support and also may be adjusted on lits pivot by the angle adjusting screw l2. i

pivoted to the upper end of plate 28 is a right hand threaded block 43.

Iso y The adjusting screw 42 passes through blocks 41 and 43 and is formed with right and left hand screw-threads so that by turning the wheel 31 the plate 28 is turned on its pivot toward or from the upper end of plate for the purpose of changing the angle of the electric contacts 48 and 53 located on j plate 28 relative to the-longitudinal axis of the gun, plate 40 being fixedwith relation to the trunnion while plate 28 turns. This combination of 'plate 40 and 28 together with their operatin parts I term the angle adjuster. is a graduated scale 34 to obtain the proper elevation for any particular range.

When the shaft 8 rotates, it will revolve the elevatingl screw 9, thereby elevating or depressing t e breech of the gun 1 and arc 4, and rotating the trunnion 13.` The rotation of the trunnion 13 carries with it the adjustable contact plate 28 and the angle adjuster heretofore described. The adjustable contact plate 28 and its associated parts Ymounted on the rotatable member or trunnion will be unchanged in their relation to each other by the rotation of the trunnion.

Pivoted on the reduced extension of journal 39 is a self leveling member which in the drawings is shown in the form of a rod 29. Attached to the self leveling` member is a contact pin 30 which prefera ly is insulated from the rod 29 as shown by insulating material 35. Attached to the gun carriage are two conta-ct plates 32 and 55 insulated from each other and from the gun carriage by insulating plate 36. From the top of the trunnion extension 27 is an arm 54 which supports and carries two contact pins 33 and 57 which are insulated therefrom and from each other. Pin 33 is in electrical connection at all times with contact point 53 through wire 44, and pin 57 is in electrical contact with contact point 48 through wire 45. Contact plates 32 and 55 are adjustable so that the arc of automatic control or the movement of the gun within its carriage may be regulated.

Coil 24 is made an electromagnet when an electrical connection is established-between contact pin 30, and contact Vpoint 53. Coil 25 is made an electromagnet when electrical connection is established between contact pin 30 and the other contact point 48. I n the drawingst he pin 30 is shown in such position that an electrical connection is not established with either of the coils and neither of them is energized. But a very slight movement of the adjustable plate 28 will bring the pin 30 into contact wlth one or the other of the contact points 48 and 53. `When the contact is with point 53 and coil 24 is energized, the circult is through wire 46, coil 24, wire 47, bind-screw 56, contact plate 32, pin 33, Wire 44, contact point 53, pin 30, wire 49 and switch 50. lVhen Attachec to the block 43' the contact is with point :48 and-coil 25 is energized, the circuit is through wire 5l, coil 25 wire 52, binding screw 58, contact plate 55, pin 57, wire 45, contact point 48, pin 30, wire 49 and switch 50,'

When the gun l is adjusted to any augltl relative to a horizontal plane, the rod 29 swings plumb end free between the contact points 48 and 53, and the adjustable plate 28 hangs plumb so that the contact point 30 rests between contacts 48 and Any change in the angle of the platform upon which the support for theJ leveler is placed will bring contact point 30 into contact one or the other of the contacts 48 and thus energizing one of the coils 24 or 25. The magnet thus energized will attract shipper bar 22 which will move the cone clutch 37, 38, into engagement with its gear 17 or 20, causing shaft 16 andelevating screw 9 to rotate in the mann' previously described.

If the movement of the platform is in a direction tending to elevate the breech of the gun, the circuit will beinade so as to encrgize the coil which causes shaft 16 to rotate in a direction to depress the breech of the gun. If the movement of the platform is in a direction tending to depress the breech of the gun, the circuit will be made lthrough the coil which causes the shaft 16 to rotate in the direction to @levate the breech of the with leading tothe electromagnets 24,25. Any

further movement of the platform in the same direction will break electrical connection between one or the other of the adjustable contact plates 32 and 'which are attached to the side of the gun carriage and one or the other of contact points 33 and 57 attachedto the gun by reason of'said contact points 33 and 57 having slipped oii" of contact plates 32 and 55, thus rendering the directingmechanism inert until such time as the movable platform moves back and brings contact point 30 into contact with thatv one of the insulated contacts 48, 53, with which it was not last in contact, and thus actuating the elevating and depressing mechanism in the reverse direction.

Located convenient for the gun pointer is a switch 50 which breaks the main circuit in wire 49 to cutin and cut out the automatic controlling mechanism. There is also located convenient for the' gun pointer two rheostats 18 and 19 for controlling? the speed of the motor. Rheostat 18 is in series The adjustable plate 28 and rod 2.9 and i angle adjuster are shown as attached to the end ofv a tru'nnion on the side of the I do not, howevenlimit myself to the attachment of'mykdevice to that particular part of the gun, so long as it is attached to any part of the gun Which is'rotated or to a .support which is rotated when the gun is elevated or depressed. l

lf from any. caus the automatic controlling mechanism becomes deranged, the gun may be vpointed by Wheels? and in the usual manner. lInstead of a pivoted rod, a-pendulum or any Well known self leveling l device toj which 4lareattached electrical contacts maybe employed 'bywhich electrica-l contact is .'made' .vvith'adjustable electrical contacts carried bythe gun to control the operating mechanism, and come Within the scope of my invention lethe invention has been particularly described as employedin controlling the elevation or training of va G'un, it is obvious that it may he employed for other purposes "and, therefore, it is not intended that the claims shall be limited to use in connection With a gun, but that they shall also cover the uses of the invention Wherever appli-I cablefto any apparatus mounted Von-a movable platform.

' What I claim is: y L

1. in combination with a gun supported on the deck of a vessel, a self leveling member, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on the 'gun and insulated therefrom and from each other, an electrical contact carried by the self leveling member which when the vessel rolls will make contact With one of said. guncontacts, directing mechanism connected with the gun, a rotary shaft conlitt nected. with the directing mechanism by which when theshaft is rotated. the breech of the gunv Will be elevated V,or depressed, mechanism connected with the said 'rotary shaft which can beso controlled as to rotate the shaft -in either direction or not at all, .electromagnets electrically connected With the electrical contacts on the gun and which are energized only When the contact on the .selfeleveling member connects with one 4of vsaid trunnion contacts and make electrical connection Which Will actuate the breech depressing mechanism, and which When the gun platform changes itsplane in a manner to depressthe breech ofV thegun-wilrcon.- nect with the other trunnioncontact and make electrical connection which will actu'- ate the breechl elevating mechanism. y Y

3. In combination with a gun supported by trunnions, an adjustable plate pivoted on a support which normally rotates with the trunnion, a plurality of insulated con- .tacts on said adjustable plate, mechanism for elevating and depressing the breech of the gun which is electrically actuated to elevate the breech of the gun when a circuit is made through one of the contacts on said adjustable plate and to depress the breech of the gun when the circuit is made through the other contact on the adjustable plate, a

contact piece *j which' makes the connection with one or the other of the contacts on said adjustable plate When the breech of the gun is elevated or depressed, and mechanism by' which said adjustable plate may be turned on its pivotand :maintained at any given position relative. to the trunnion. v

4. In combination with a gun, a pivoted plate which moves with the gun, two insu- .lated contacts on said plate', a self levehngfl member carrying a contact piece, adjusting mechanism for setting theY gun to any de;`

sired range 'and which when moved-"-fto change the' elevation of the gun Will cause electricalconnection between the contact `o'nthe self leveling member and one or-.the other o-4 the contacts on said plate, .and mechanism which is electricallyactuated by .the connection between the contact onpthe 'self leveling member and one of the adjustable. contacts to depress the breech relative l to the gun platform when the gun platform moves in a direction to elevate the breech, and Which is actuated by the connection between the contact on the self leveling member yand the other adjustablev contactv .to elevate the breech relative to ,the platform when the platform is moved in adirection to depress thebreech.

5. In combination with a` gun, mechanism .forchanging the angle of the gun,"a' pivoted plate, mechanism by which said plate may be turned on its pivot and maintained in its adjusted position relative to its support, two

electrical contactsonf said plate, and al self.

leveling member carrying a'v contact piece which connects with one orthe other of said adjustable -contacts Whenever the breech of the gun is elevated ordepressed, two electrical circuits in each ofwhich is included one of said adjustable contacts, and an elec-4 tromagnet in each of said circuits, which, when energized, will cause the mechanism for changing the angle of the gun to become operative. l

6. In combination With a rotary member, mechanism for changing the angle of said rotary member, a plate l,pivoted on said rotary member, insulated electrical contacts j ried on said plate, mechanism by which tt-said plate may be turned on its pivot and its -adjusted position relative to said zrotary member, a self leveling member piveteiiion' the pivot of said plate and an electrical" contact carried by said self leveling member which will be connected with one or `the other of the contacts on said `plate whenever the plate is rotated in eith'erdirection and electrical circuits which are opened and closed by the movement of' said contacts, which,.ivhen closed, will cause the mechanism for changing the angle of said rotary member to become operative.

7. In combination .with a vessel, a self leveling member suspended from a rotatable l support whose .center may remain constant in its position relative. to the deck of the vessel, a reversible clutch mechanism, and electromagnets vwhich actuate said clutch mechanism throughy the-self leveling member when said support ismoved relatively to the .seli' leveling member in one direction due to the movement of the vessel, so as -to cause said clutch mechanism to rotate the support in the reverse direction.

8. In combination with a gun mountedon a movable support, `djustable electric contacts which move with the gun, means for adjusting said contacts, a self leveling member carrying acontact piece, adjusting mechanism for setting the gun to any desired range, -andwhich when moved by hand to change the elevation of the gun Will cause electrical connection between the contact on the self leveling member and one or the other of the contacts on said'plate, and reverse clutch mechanism which is electrically actuated by the connection between the contact on the self leveling member and one of the adjustable contacts to elevate or depress the breech of the gun to the desired angle of elevation 'or-depression, and means which when the support for the self leveling mem- 'ber has moved through an arc equal to the crc of the elevating and depressing mechamism Will cause the elevating and depressing mechanism of the gun mount to become in- -ert until the reverse contact shall be made 4ist again by the reverse movement of the movable support.

9: In combination with a gun mounted on a. movable support, mechanism by which the gun may be set to the proper elevation for a given range, mechanism which when the support is moved so as to elevate or depress the breech of the gun, will actuate the d1- recting mechanism to counteract the elevation or depression of the breech of the gun occasioned by the movement of the support, and adjustable means whereby When sich movement exceeds the range of counteraction of the elevating and depressing mecha nism will render said elevating and depressing mechanism inert until the return movedirection of transmission from the directing mechanism to mamtaln the gun a rment brings :regenerar-wanna@ are@ by electric contacts attached to said self-l leveling member' which when the gun platform moves makes electricalconnection to set in operation the counteractingmechanism. y

11. In a gun mount, a self-leveling member, af' motor and means operated thereby controlled by said self-leveling member for controlling the direction of transmission from the motor' to the directing mechanism to automatically maintain the gun atv any given angle of elevation.

In a gun mount, a self-leveling member, a motor for operating the elevating gear and means operated thereby controlled by said self-leveling member for controlling the the motor to at any given angle of elevation.

In a gun mount, electrical contacts carried by the gun, a self .leveling member, which is operated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the gun.l carrying an electrical contact, a motor and' separate means operate-d thereby and controlled by said contacts for elevating or depressing the gun independent of the direction of rotation of the motor.

14. In a gun mount, electrical contacts carried by the gun, a self-leveling member carrying an electrical contact, a motor and means operated thereby controlled by said contacts for controlling the direction ,of transmissionlfrom the motor to the directing mechanism for automatically maintaining any given angle of elevation of the gun.

15. In a. gun mount, a self-leveling member carrying electrical contacts, an adjustable member carrying electrica-l contacts atl tached to the gun, a motor and means operated thereby controlled by said electrical contacts for controlling the direction of transmission from the motor to the directing mechanism to automatically maintain the gun at any given angle of elevation.

1G. In a gun mount, a self leveling member carrying electrical contacts, an adjustable member carrying electrical contacts and attached' to the gun, hand operated mea-ns for changing the angle of the contacts relative to the gun, a motor and a reversible clutch controlled by said electrical contacts to change the angle of elevation of the gun independent of thedirection of rotation of the motor.

17. In Acombination with a gun mounted on a gun mount, directing gear for the gun, mechanism which when the deck m'ount is moved relative to a horizontal in a direction tending to change the direction of the gun is adapted to actuate said directing gear to counteact,thattendency, a motor, and hand operated means for controlling the speed of the motor and direction of motion of said directing mechanism.

18.- In combination with a gun or apparatus mounted on r,ma movable platform, a prime mover or Imotor rotating continuously in the saine direction, a directing mechanism mounted (mathe-.support for the gun or apparatus and partaking of all the movements of the support, a reversing friction clutch electricalcontacts carried by the gun or apparatus whereby said directing mechanism is actuated through said friction clutch to move the gun in opposition to the movement of the platform upon which the gun or apparatus and' its support are placed, Aand means for varying the speed of movement of the directing mechanism.

.19. ln combination with a gun mounted on a deck mount, directing mechanism for the gun. a reversing clutch, and mechanism carried by the gun mount which is controlled'b)1 the movement of the deck mount to actuatc the directing mechanism and counteract the tendency of the gun to move with the' deck mount.

20. In combination with a gun, directing gear for the gun, a motor i'xed with 4relation to the gun mount for actuating said directing gear, and means for controlling' the direction and means for controlling the speed of said directing gear independent of the speed or direction of rotation of said motor.

Q1. In combination with a gun mounted on a deck platform, a self-leveling' member, directing `gear for the gun, mechanism which when t-lie deck platform is moved in a direction tending to either elevate or depress the breech will counteract that tendency, the counteracting mechanism being controlled by electrical contacts` attached to the gun and self-leveling member, whereby when the platform moves in either direction an electric eii-cuit closed to set in operation the counteracting mechanism.

22. The combination of an ordnance member to be trained, a prime mover for transmitting movement to said member, a sourceof energy for said prime mover, an inertia held member comprising means for control# ling the direction of movement of the ordnance membeig and means controllable at Will for varying the lsupply of'energy to 24e. The combination of a I.gun to" be trained, means forfmovingf saidfgun, means controllable by undesirable movement of the gun support for automatically controlling the direction of movement transmitted to the gun, and means controllable by hand for varying the effect of the moving means"A to regulate the speed thereof.

25. The combination of an ordnance inein-1 ber to be trained upon shipboard, meansifor shifting said member simultaneously with the occurence of undesirable movements of the vessel, means for reversing the movement of said member concomitantlywiththe reversal of the direction ofA movement ofthe vessel, and means for thereafter causing said member-to move at a speed which will be compensatory to the speed of movement of said vessel,

tend to remain n trained position despite said undesirable nioveiiients.

whereby said membery will 2G. In combination with a gun mounted j on a movable platform, a primemover or motor rotating continuously in the same direction, a directing mechanism .mounted on the support for ther gun, an'd'partaking of all the movements of said support, electrical contacts carried by the gun, a reversing friction clutch which in combination with said electrical contacts actiiates the Said directing mechanism to move the gun relative to its support in opposition to the movement of the platform upon which the gun and its support are placed, means whereby said reversing friction .clutch may be operated both velectrically and by hand, and-means for Varying the speed of movement of the directing mechanism.

'ln "testimony whereof I aliix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVin J. caiifrwnieiir.

Witnesses:

WiLLLxM A. CorniiANn, ALNm Tana. 

